


Before You

by KibaSin



Series: Past Time [67]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Emotional, Love Triangles, Obsession, One Shot, One-Sided Relationship, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:11:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KibaSin/pseuds/KibaSin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why won't Sakura return his love? No matter how many times he tries, she shuns him, continuing to chase the tail of Uchiha Sasuke. Rock Lee is beginning to fear that he'll never have love returned to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before You

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any material belonging to the creators of _Inuyasha_ or _Naruto._

* * *

Sakura. It was truly the most beautiful name he had ever heard. Yet, no matter how beautiful her name or her face, she proved time and again how deep that beauty went. Sadly, he was beginning to think that it was not that far at all.

And all because she continued to chase after Uchiha Sasuke. Because she wished to know the dark mystery that might never love her. She wished to obtain that which might never be obtainable, even when he stood before her, telling her of his feelings and that he would love her forever. If only she would give up her silly little dream of Uchiha Sasuke, so that he could show her true happiness.

Not the blind love that she devoted to that heir.

He was not blind. He saw beauty, happiness, and love all around him. But he saw the other things, too. The bitter, unhappy feelings of loneliness, regret, hate. He ignored them for the most part, trying to make the world seem a little brighter by doing as Gai-sensei did—telling those who had inner beauty of their youth. Trying to uplift the spirit, instead of allowing those bitter, unhappy feelings to cling to them until finally they were consumed by it.

Worst of all, though, was the greed he saw and felt all around him. It came from shinobi and civilians alike. All of them wanted something, it was human nature, but the worst thing they wanted was power. They strived for it, and that was the reason they all turned their sights onto the clan heirs. They wanted that power, the ability to rise through the ranks because of marriage, and they sought after it like starved dogs going after a bone. And even if it was not power they sought, most of them, in their disgusting greed, only wanted the clan heirs to produce  _beautiful_  children.

What did it matter if a person's children were not stunningly beautiful? Should they not be loved and cherished by their parents just because they did not have the correct eye color, or the correct lineage, or some other ridiculous notion people had come up with?

Sakura. He could not describe how much he loved her. He had seen her and knew she was the one. Yet, beyond that he had seen more. The ugliness that tainted her beauty, her soul, because she clasped onto her greed and wanted to take something  _just_  to make sure no one else could have it. And that, no matter how much she loved Uchiha Sasuke, was  _wrong_.

 _Lee_ …

Sakura. He loved her  _so_  much. He  _never_ wished to see her pulled into the game of cat and mouse that everyone played with the clan heirs. He  _never_  wished to see her rushing around trying to gain love from someone that would never love her. He only wished for her to see how wrong it was for her to treat a person like a piece of property—because that was  _not_  love.  _That_  was obsession.

And that was what she obviously felt for Uchiha Sasuke.

Why could she not see it, though? How could she not have noticed that her endless love of Uchiha Sasuke had turned into nothing more than an obsessive need to obtain him? To keep him, stroke him, and laugh in the face of those who thought they would ever gain what she had. To be a part of a grand and noble clan, to help produce beautiful children, and then laugh about how they were  _her_  children and no one else would have that right.

He understood how it had come to be so. He did. At one point Sakura had truly loved Uchiha Sasuke, wished to be with him only because of that love, but rivalry, jealousy, hate, and desperation pushed her over the line. She could not stand the thought of losing the only thing that she had ever truly loved. She could not stand the fact that so many others sought after what she wanted more than anything else. She was driven to hate them all in secret, no matter how much she had already gained toward obtaining what she wanted. And in the end, she saw that the future was bleak, and tried so hard to grasp onto the thin chance she would ever have what she longed for.

_Lee…_

He understood all too well. He knew those emotions, saw them for what they were, and had learned to release them so that they could not do harm to himself or others. He allowed them to enter and pass, like a gentle breeze, but he knew them all the same. So, he understood what Sakura felt, but he still did not wish to see her shatter when she realized that what she wanted, she would never have—he knew  _that_  to be his greed.

If only she could look beyond her precious Uchiha Sasuke and see him. If only she would allow him to take her hand, and guide her back away from her obsession so she could see how twisted and revolting her love had become. If only she would allow him to help her, for he would without a second thought, and allow herself a single moment to contemplate how her love had changed so.

Maybe then she would see that he truly loved her, that he wished her only happiness, and would return the love that he wanted to obtain.

" _Lee_!" the voice snapped at him for the third time.

He jumped, blinking rapidly to dispel his thoughts, and turned his eyes upward. A smile broke across his face, as he said, "Oh! Hello, Kagome-chan!"

She frowned at him, putting her hands on her hips. She replied, "Lee! I've been calling your name for a good few minutes! I would have expected that you at least  _noticed_  I was standing here! What were you doing, daydreaming?"

He shook his head, noting that Hyuuga Neji stood behind his female friend. He smiled at the way they appeared together, and stated, "I'm sorry, Kagome-chan. I was merely going over some thoughts. But what are you two doing? Spending your afternoon on a date to show how youthful you are?"

Within seconds the girl turned red, and she slammed her hand down onto Lee's head. "No!" she cried. "I was looking for you and ran across Neji! I thought he could help me considering he can see so much more than I can with the byakugan! He has been a huge help and I will thank him a lot for probably the next year, but we are  _not_  on a date!"

He frowned a little, before jumping up, and nearly shouting, "That's such a shame, Kagome-chan! Your youthfulness would shine to the brightest alongside my rival! Perhaps you should think about going on a date with h—"

" _Agh_!" Kagome shouted. "Neji might only be my distant cousin, but I don't like him like that, you moron!" After those words left her mouth, she hit him as hard as she could alongside the head. The taijutsu specialist went flying for a considerable distance before he managed to right himself, but already Kagome was after him once more. Shouting about how Neji was like her brother and he was an idiot for  _ever_  suggesting she date him.

Neji rolled his eyes. He decided after a moment to leave his cousin and teammate to fight it out themselves. Eventually they would both see what he saw, even if it took beating Lee's head in and talking sternly with Kagome. Neither of which he wished to do on this day. So, Hyuuga Neji walked away, leaving them to their little spat.

" _Neji_!" Kagome's shout came from behind him. "Don't leave me alone with this idiot!"

_-Fin_


End file.
